Central-Denfeld Football Team Starts New Tradition

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DULUTH, MINN. --- The merging of Central and Denfeld high schools mark the end of a long standing rivalry.

On Monday at the Central football field both Central and Denfeld football players practiced as one. Under the school district's long range facilities these two schools will merge everything: students, sports and school pride.

"It was kind of weird. I was kind of nervous. There was people from Denfeld on one side and Central on one side," Cortez Ham, a Denfeld student spending his senior year playing at Central, said.

But once the football started that all changed.

"We were losing players cause just lack of interest but once they came it was great," Joey Janchar, a Central player, said.

Players said getting along isn't hard especially when it's for the love of the game.

Coach Chris Vold said this season the team will primarily be wearing their white jerseys for both home and away games but they will occasionally pull out Central and Denfeld jerseys for some games.

However, Vold said it's not the jersey that makes the team.

"It's not about what we wear or what people want to call us. It's about who we are as guys inside those uniforms and what our goals are and where our focus is and to become the best football team regardless of what we look like," Vold said.

The varsity team takes on Hermantown in just three weeks.And this team says they are ready to play as one.